Amniotic Fluid Norepinephrine Concentration as an Indicator of Fetal Sympathetic Nervous Activity

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Abstract
Concentrations of norepinephrine in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma were measured in 71 third trimester pregnancies, 31 of which were uncomplicated and 40 complicated. Amniotic fluid norepinephrine concentration (mean .+-. SD) in cases of hypertension treated with clonidine (0.4 .+-. 0.1 ng/ml, n = 12) and in insulin-dependent diabetes (0.5 .+-. 0.2 ng/ml, n = 7) was lower, and in renal insufficiency (1.7 .+-. 0.8 ng/ml, n = 8) higher than control subjects (0.7 .+-. 0.4 ng/ml, n = 31). In fetal-growth retardation (0.6 .+-. 0.2 ng/ml, n = 8) and in latent diabetes (0.7 .+-. 0.2 ng/ml, n = 5) the values were similar to those in the control subjects. There was a significant positive correlation between mature lecithin-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio and norepinephrine concentration. Clonidine-treated hypertension was associated with decreased (0.2 .+-. 0.1 ng/ml) and renal insufficiency with increased (0.9 .+-. 0.7 ng/ml) maternal plasma norepinephrine concentrations (control group, 0.3 .+-. 0.1 ng/ml). Measurement of catecholamines in amniotic fluid can be useful in the evaluation of fetal sympathoadrenal function.

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